PKG00256584-instructions.pdf

OMB Number - 1122-0020 Expiration Date: 01/31/2022

U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)

*** REVISED ***

(New application deadline and revisions made to Section B, Types of Applications.)

OVW Fiscal Year 2020 Justice for Families Program

Solicitation

Release Date: on or about November 12, 2019

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are limited to: States, units of local government, courts (including juvenile courts), Indian tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, legal services providers, and victim service providers in the United States or U.S. territories.

(See “Eligibility Information”)

Deadlines

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (E.T.) on January 22, 2020.

(See “Submission Dates and Times”)

Registration Information: To submit an application, all applicants must obtain a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number and register online with the System for Award Management (SAM) and with Grants.gov. To ensure sufficient time to complete the registration process, applicants must obtain a DUNS number and register online with SAM and with Grants.gov immediately, but no later than December 20, 2019.

(See “Registration”) https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ ii

Letter of Intent: Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a non-binding Letter of Intent to OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov by December 20, 2019. This letter confirms that the applicant has registered with SAM and Grants.gov. Submitting a Letter of Intent will not obligate a potential applicant to submit an application. Interested applicants who do not submit a Letter of Intent are still eligible to apply.

(See “Letter of Intent”) Pre-Application Information Session: OVW will post a pre-recorded Pre-Application Information Session on its website for entities interested in submitting an application for this program. Listening to this session is optional. Interested applicants who do not listen to the pre-recorded session are still eligible to apply. The session is tentatively scheduled to be available by December 4, 2019 on the OVW website.

(See “Pre-Application Information Session”)

Contact Information

For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, email OVW at OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov.

Alternatively, interested parties may call OVW at (202) 307-6026.

Submission and Notification Information

Submission: Applications for this program will be submitted through Grants.gov. For technical assistance with Grants.gov, contact the Grants.gov Applicant Support Line at 1-800-518-4726.

The Grants.gov number assigned to this announcement is OVW-2020-17568.

Notification: OVW anticipates notifying applicants of funding decisions by October 1, 2020.

https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants mailto:OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ iii

Contents A. Program Description

Overview of OVW

About the OVW Justice for Families Program

Program Scope

Purpose Areas

OVW Priority Areas

Activities that Compromise Victim Safety and Recovery or Undermine Offender Accountability

Out-of-Scope Activities

Activities Requiring Prior Approval

B. Federal Award Information Availability of Funds

Award Period and Amounts

Types of Applications

Mandatory Program Requirements

C. Eligibility Information Eligible Applicants

Cost Sharing or Matching

Other Program Eligibility Requirements

D. Application and Submission Information Address to Request Application Package

Content and Form of Application Submission

Formatting and Technical Requirements

Application Contents

Summary Data Sheet

Proposal Abstract

Project Narrative

Budget Detail Worksheet and Narrative

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Letters of Commitment iv

Additional Required Information

Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number), System for Award Management (SAM), and Grants.gov Registration

Submission Dates and Times

OVW Policy on Late Submissions

Funding Restrictions

Other Submission Requirements

Submitting a Grant Application

E. Application Review Information Criteria

Review and Selection Process

Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

F. Federal Award Administration Information Federal Award Notices

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Reporting

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) H. Other Information

Application Checklist

Federal Award Information:

Funding Type: Grant Estimated Total Funding: $11,000,000 Expected Number of Awards: Up to 15 Standard; 3-7 Comprehensive Award Ceiling: $550,000 (Standard); $650,000 (Comprehensive) Award Floor: N/A Registration Due: December 20, 2019 Letter of Intent Due: December 20, 2019 Application Due: January 22, 2020 Anticipated Start Date: October 1, 2020 Length of Award Period: 36 months

OVW Justice for Families Program

(CFDA 16.021)

A. Program Description Overview of OVW OVW is a component of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). Created in 1995, OVW administers grant programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and subsequent legislation and provides national leadership on issues of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. OVW grants support coordinated community responses to hold offenders accountable and serve victims.

Statutory Authority This program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. § 12464.

About the OVW Justice for Families Program The Grants to Support Families in the Justice System program (referred to as the Justice for Families Program) was authorized in the VAWA of 2013 to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice system to families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, or in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse. The program supports the following activities for improving the capacity of courts and communities to respond to families affected by the targeted crimes: court-based and court-related programs; supervised visitation and safe exchange by and between parents; training for people who work with families in the court system; civil legal services; and the provision of resources in juvenile court matters.

For additional information about this program, see https://www.justice.gov/ovw/grant-programs and https://www.vawamei.org/grant-program/justice-for-families-jff-program.

Program Scope Activities supported by this program are determined by statute, federal regulations, and OVW policies. If an applicant receives an award, the funded project is bound by the provisions of this solicitation, the DOJ Financial Guide, including updates to the financial guide after an award is made, the section of the Solicitation Companion Guide on post-award requirements for all federal award recipients, and the conditions of the award.

https://www.justice.gov/ovw/grant-programs https://www.vawamei.org/grant-program/justice-for-families-jff-program https://www.justice.gov/ovw/file/1030311/download

Purpose Areas Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12464, funds under this program must be used for one or more of the six purposes discussed below. OVW is interested in funding projects that take a coordinated approach to helping families victimized by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking as they navigate the justice system. To help achieve this coordinated approach, applicants may propose either a standard project or a comprehensive project.

Standard Project: Applicants must propose activities either under purpose area 1 (supervised visitation) or 5 (courts). If an applicant is proposing to provide supervised visitation/safe exchange services (purpose area 1), the applicant must also propose activities under at least one additional purpose area. The courts purpose area (purpose area 5) can be addressed in combination with another purpose area or on its own under any one or more of purpose area 5 multiple sub-categories. However, applications that address pro se victim assistance programs (purpose area 5(b)) or propose education and outreach programs (purpose area 5(e)) must be proposed in combination with other purpose area 5 subcategories or (an) other purpose area(s)).

Comprehensive Project: Applicants must propose activities under purpose areas 1 (supervised visitation), 5 (courts), and 6 (civil legal services). Applicants may include additional purpose areas in a comprehensive project application but are required to include purpose areas 1,5, and 6.

VAWA 2013 includes eight distinct purpose areas for the Justice for Families Program. In FY 2020, however, OVW is limiting applicants to addressing only purpose areas 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8:

• (Purpose Area 1) Supervised visitation and safe exchange: Provide supervised visitation and safe visitation exchange of children and youth by and between parents in situations involving domestic violence, dating violence, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. Although the program statute allows for sliding scale fees (34 U.S.C. § 12464(d)(2)), to ensure accessibility of OVW-funded services, grantees providing supervised visitation and safe exchange services are not allowed to charge fees to parents served with OVW funds. For a standard project, applicants proposing activities under this purpose area must propose activities under at least one additional purpose area. For a comprehensive project, this purpose area must be included.

• (Purpose Area 3) Training for court-based and court-related personnel: Educate court-based and court-related personnel and court-appointed personnel (including custody evaluators and guardians ad litem) and child protective services workers on the dynamics of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including information on perpetrator behavior, evidence-based risk factors for domestic and dating violence homicide, and on issues relating to the needs of victims, including safety, security, privacy, and confidentiality, including cases in which the victim proceeds pro se. Applicants proposing activities under this purpose area must also propose activities under purpose area 1 and/or 5.

• (Purpose Area 4) Juvenile court resources: Provide appropriate resources in juvenile court matters to respond to dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault (including child sexual abuse), and stalking and ensure necessary services dealing with the health and mental health of victims are available. Applicants proposing activities under this purpose area must also propose activities under purpose area 1 and/or 5.

• (Purpose Area 5) Court and court-based programs and services: Enable courts or court-based or court-related programs to develop or enhance a) court infrastructure (such as specialized courts, consolidated courts, dockets, intake centers, or interpreter services); b) community-based initiatives within the court system (such as court watch programs, victim assistants, pro se victim assistance programs, or community-based supplementary services); c) offender management, monitoring, and accountability programs; d) safe and confidential information-storage and information-sharing databases within and between court systems; e) education and outreach programs to improve community access, including enhanced access for underserved populations;

and f) other projects likely to improve court responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. For a standard project, applicants proposing activities under purpose area 5 are not required to propose activities under any other purpose area. (However, OVW will not consider applications that only propose pro se victim assistance programs (purpose area 5(b)) or only propose education and outreach programs (purpose area 5(e)). Applicants may apply to implement additional purpose areas if they choose. For a comprehensive project, purpose area 5 must be included.

• (Purpose Area 6) Civil legal assistance: Provide civil legal assistance and advocacy services, including legal information and resources in cases which the victim proceeds pro se, to:

(a) victims of domestic violence; and

(b) nonoffending parents in matters:

(i) that involve allegations of child sexual abuse;

(ii) that relate to family matters, including civil protection orders, custody, and divorce; and

(iii) in which the other parent is represented by counsel.

Applicants proposing activities under this purpose area must also propose activities under purpose area 1 and/or 5 for a standard project. This purpose area must be included in a comprehensive project. In addition, a project in which the primary focus is on providing civil legal assistance is not appropriate for the Justice for Families Program and will be removed from consideration. At least 50% of all proposed activities and budget items in the application must be targeted toward activities other than civil legal services. All costs supporting civil legal services, including indirect costs and pro se victim assistance programs that provide civil legal assistance proposed under purpose area 5(b), will be counted toward this cap on civil legal assistance.

• (Purpose Area 8) Training within the civil justice system: Improve training and education to assist judges, judicial personnel, attorneys, child welfare personnel, and legal advocates in the civil justice system. Applicants proposing activities under this purpose area must also propose activities under purpose area 1 and/or 5.

OVW Priority Areas In FY 2020, OVW is interested in supporting the priority areas identified below. Applications proposing activities in the following areas will be given special consideration.

1. Reduce violent crime against women and promote victim safety through investing in law enforcement, increasing prosecution, and promoting effective prevention. Applications meaningfully addressing purpose area 5(a) (34 U.S.C. § 12464(b)(5)(A)) by developing or enhancing specialized courts, consolidating courts and/or dockets, and/or creating special intake centers will receive special consideration.

2. Increase efforts to combat stalking. To receive special consideration under this priority, applicants must clearly identify how they will meaningfully engage in efforts to combat stalking.

3. Address the specific challenges that rural communities face in responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. To receive special consideration under this priority, applicants must clearly identify what makes the geographic service area rural and how they will address specific challenges in rural communities.

Activities that Compromise Victim Safety and Recovery or Undermine Offender Accountability OVW does not fund activities that jeopardize victim safety, deter or prevent physical or emotional healing for victims, or allow offenders to escape responsibility for their actions.

Applications that propose any such activities may receive a deduction in points during the review process or may be eliminated from consideration entirely. Information on activities that compromise victim safety and recovery or undermine offender accountability may be found in the Solicitation Companion Guide.

Out-of-Scope Activities The activities listed below are out of the program scope, and they will not be supported by this program’s funding. See also the list of unallowable costs in the Funding Restrictions section of this solicitation:

1. Research projects (This does not include assessments conducted only for internal improvement purposes (up to two percent of the award). For information on distinguishing between research and assessments, see the heading on this topic in the Funding Restrictions section of this solicitation and the Solicitation Companion Guide).

2. Mediation involving offenders and victims being physically present in the same place, in cases where domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking is an issue.

3. Parent education programs.

4. Individual, group, and family counseling.

5. Telephonic and/or virtual monitoring of supervised visitation.

6. Supervised visitation and exchange services unrelated to domestic violence, dating violence, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.

7. Legal representation in child protection cases, except for cases in which the legal services are provided to a victim of domestic violence and the proceedings relate to or arise out of the abuse or violence committed against the victim.

8. Legal representation in child sexual abuse cases, except for cases in which the legal services are provided to nonoffending parents and relate to family matters, including civil protection orders, custody, and divorce, and in which the other parent is represented by counsel.

9. Criminal defense of victims charged with crimes.

10. Support of law reform initiatives, including but not limited to improve litigation.

11. Civil legal services and pro se victim assistance programs that exceed 50% of the total project costs and activities.

Applications that propose activities that are deemed to be substantially out-of-scope may receive a deduction in points during the review process or may be eliminated from consideration entirely.

Activities Requiring Prior Approval Activities listed below will require prior approval in order to be supported by grant funds (see the Solicitation Companion Guide for more information on relevant requirements).

1. Surveys, whether conducted as part of a program or needs assessment, or for any other purpose. Prior approval is necessary to determine whether the activity is within the scope of the award and meets the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

2. Renovations, including such minor things as painting, carpeting, or installing lighting (i.e., National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance).

B. Federal Award Information Availability of Funds All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law. There is no guarantee that funds will be available in the future. OVW may elect to make awards in a future fiscal year for applications submitted under this solicitation but not selected for FY 2020 funding, depending on the merits of the applications and the availability of funding.

Award Period and Amounts The award period is 36 months. Budgets must reflect 36 months of project activity, and the total “estimated funding” on the SF-424 must reflect 36 months. OVW anticipates that the award period will start on October 1, 2020.

This program typically makes awards in the range of $550,000 for standard projects and $650,000 for comprehensive projects. OVW estimates that it will make up to 15 standard awards and three to seven comprehensive awards for an estimated $11,000,000.

Funding levels under this program for FY 2020 are:

1. Standard projects: up to $550,000 for the entire 36 months.

2. Comprehensive projects: up to $650,000 for the entire 36 months.

OVW has the discretion to make awards for greater or lesser amounts than requested and to negotiate the scope of work and budget with applicants prior to making an award.

Awards will be made as grants.

Types of Applications In FY 2020, OVW will accept applications for this program from the following:

New: Applicants that have never received funding under the Justice for Families Program or whose previous Justice for Families funding expired more than 12 months ago.

Continuation: Applicants that have an existing or recently closed (within the last 12 months) award under this program. Continuation funding is not guaranteed.

Recipients of an FY 2018 or FY 2019 award under this program are NOT eligible to apply as the lead applicant on an FY 2020 proposal.

Additionally, current grantees with a substantial amount of unobligated funds remaining (50 percent or more of the previous award) as of March 31, 2020 without adequate justification may not be considered for funding, or may receive a reduced award amount if selected for funding in

FY 2020.

Mandatory Program Requirements Applicants that receive funding under this program will be required to engage in the following activities:

1. OVW-sponsored training and technical assistance.

2. An OVW-sponsored assessment or program evaluation.

3. A new grantee orientation unless exempted by OVW.

C. Eligibility Information

Applications that are submitted by ineligible entities or that do not meet all program eligibility requirements may not be considered for funding. In addition, an application that is deemed deficient in one or more of the following categories may not be considered for funding: 1.

activities that compromise victim safety, 2. out-of-scope activities, 3. unallowable costs, 4. pre-award risk assessment, 5. completeness of application contents, and 6. timeliness. An applicant with past performance issues, long-standing open audits, or an open criminal investigation also may not be considered for funding.

Eligible Applicants The following entities are eligible to apply for this program (34 U.S.C. § 12464(a)):

1. States, meaning any of the states and the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(31)).

2. Units of local government, meaning any city, county, township, town, borough, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a state (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(40)). Pursuant to 28 C.F.R. § 90.2(g), the following are not considered units of local government and are not eligible to apply as the lead applicant – police departments, pre-trial service agencies, district or city attorneys’ offices, sheriffs’ departments, probation and parole departments, and universities.

3. Courts (including juvenile courts), meaning any civil or criminal, tribal, and Alaska Native Village, federal, state, local or territorial court having jurisdiction to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking, including immigration, family, juvenile, and dependency courts (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(2)). This does not include prosecutors’ offices.

4. Indian tribal governments, meaning a tribe, band, pueblo, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation (as defined in, or established pursuant to, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq.)), that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(16)).

5. Nonprofit organizations, meaning an organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code (34 U.S.C. § 12291(b)(16)(B)(i)).

6. Legal services providers, meaning entities that provide legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. This does not include for-profit organizations.

7. Victim service providers, meaning nonprofit, nongovernmental or tribal organizations or rape crisis centers, including state or tribal coalitions, that assist or advocate for domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking victims, including domestic violence shelters, faith based organizations, and other organizations, with a documented history of effective work concerning domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(43)). Victim service providers must provide direct services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking as one of their primary purposes and have a demonstrated history of effective work in this field.

Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this solicitation (see “Faith-Based Organizations” on the OVW website for more information).

Nonprofit Organization Requirement – 501(c)(3) Status Any entity that is eligible for this program based on its status as a nonprofit organization must be an organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code. See 34 U.S.C. § 12291(b)(16)(B)(i).

Note:

Any nonprofit organization that holds money in offshore accounts for the purpose of avoiding paying the tax described in section 511(a) of the Internal Revenue Code is not eligible for a grant from this program. See 34 U.S.C. § 12291(b)(16)(B)(ii).

Cost Sharing or Matching This program has no match or cost sharing requirement.

Other Program Eligibility Requirements In addition to meeting the eligible entity requirements outlined above, applicants for this program must also meet the requirements below. All certification and other eligibility related documents must be current and developed in accordance with the FY 2020 solicitation.

Certifications must take the form of a letter, on letterhead, signed and dated by the authorized representative. Failure to provide required certifications may disqualify an application from further consideration. At a minimum, an application missing the required certification letter will be required to submit a certification letter prior to receiving an award. The signed certification letter must be uploaded as a separate attachment in Grants.gov. Sample certification letters can be found on the OVW website at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants.

Certification of Eligibility Under 34 U.S.C. § 12464(d), all applicants for the Justice for Families Program must:

https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants#Resources

• Certify that the organizational policies of the applicant do not require mediation or counseling involving offenders and victims being physically present in the same place, in cases where domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking is alleged.

Applicants proposing projects under purpose area 1 (supervised visitation and/or safe exchange services) must also:

• Demonstrate that adequate security measures, including adequate facilities, procedures, and personnel capable of preventing violence, and adequate standards are, or will be, in place (including the development of protocols or policies to ensure that confidential information is not shared with courts, law enforcement agencies, or child welfare agencies unless necessary to ensure the safety of any child or adult using the services of a program funded by OVW).

Applicants proposing projects under purpose area 4 or 5 (court and court-based programs and services) must also:

• Certify that victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking are not charged fees or any other costs related to the filing, petitioning, modifying, issuance, registration, enforcement, withdrawal, or dismissal of matters relating to the domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

Applicants proposing projects under purpose area 5 to support custody evaluation and/or guardian ad litem services must also:

• Certify that any person providing custody evaluation or guardian ad litem services through a program funded under this program has completed or will complete training developed with input from and in collaboration with a tribal, state, territorial, or local domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking victim service provider or coalition on the dynamics of domestic violence and sexual assault, including child sexual abuse, that includes training on how to review evidence of past abuse and the use of evidence-based theories to make recommendations on custody and visitation.

Applicants proposing projects under purpose area 5(b) or 6 to provide civil legal assistance services must also certify the following:

Delivery of Legal Assistance Certification Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. §§ 12291(b)(12) and 12464(d), to be eligible for an award, any recipient or subrecipient providing legal assistance with funds awarded under this program must certify in writing that:

1. any person providing legal assistance with funds through this program:

(A) has demonstrated expertise in providing legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in the targeted population; or (B)

i. is partnered with an entity or person that has demonstrated expertise described in subparagraph (A); and

ii. has completed, or will complete, training in connection with domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking and related legal issues, including training on evidence-based risk factors for domestic and dating violence homicide;

2. any training program conducted in satisfaction of the requirement of paragraph (1) has been or will be developed with input from and in collaboration with a tribal, state, territorial, or local domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking victim service provider or coalition, as well as appropriate tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement officials;

3. any person or organization providing legal assistance with funds through this program has informed and will continue to inform state, local, or tribal domestic violence, dating violence, or sexual assault programs and coalitions, as well as appropriate state and local law enforcement officials of their work;

4. the grantee’s organizational policies do not require mediation or counseling involving offenders and victims physically together, in cases where sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or child sexual abuse is an issue; and

5. any person providing legal assistance through a program funded under the Justice for Families Program has completed or will complete training on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including child sexual abuse, and related legal issues.

Required Partnerships All applicants for the Justice for Families Program must include formal partnerships with both 1) a nonprofit, nongovernmental, or tribal domestic violence or sexual assault victim service provider and 2) a court. If a court is the lead applicant, it must have a domestic violence and/or sexual assault victim service provider as a project partner. If a domestic violence and/or sexual assault victim service provider is the lead applicant, it must have a court as a partner. If the lead applicant is neither a domestic violence and/or sexual assault victim service provider nor a court, it must have a partnership with both a domestic violence and/or sexual assault victim service provider and a court.

Definition of victim service provider A victim service provider is a nonprofit, nongovernmental or tribal organization or rape crisis center, including a state or tribal domestic violence and/or sexual assault coalition, that assists or advocates for sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking victims, including a domestic violence shelter, faith-based organization or other organization, with a documented history of effective work concerning domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. 34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(43). Victim service providers must provide direct services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking as one of their primary purposes and have a demonstrated history of effective work in this field.

Limit on Number of Applications OVW will consider only one application per organization for the same service area. In addition, if an applicant submits multiple versions of the same application, OVW will review only the most recent system-validated version submitted before the deadline.

D. Application and Submission Information Address to Request Application Package The complete application package (this solicitation, including links to required forms) is available on Grants.gov and on the OVW website. Applicants wishing to request a paper copy of these materials should contact the Justice for Families Program at OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov or 202-307- 6026.

https://www.justice.gov/ovw/how-apply mailto:OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov

Pre-Application Information Session: OVW will post a pre-recorded Pre-Application Information Session on its website for entities interested in submitting an application for this program. Listening to this session is optional. Interested applicants who do not listen to the pre-recorded session are still eligible to apply. The session is tentatively scheduled to be available by December 4, 2019 on the OVW website. The session will be captioned in English and Spanish. Interested applicants needing additional language assistance should contact this program’s POC at OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov or at 202-307-6026 as soon as possible, but no later than November 20, 2019.

Content and Form of Application Submission The information below (“Letter of Intent” through “Additional Required Information”) describes the full content and form of application submission.

Letter of Intent Applicants intending to apply for FY 2020 funding under this program are strongly encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent. The letter should state that the applicant is registered and current with SAM and with Grants.gov. The letter should be submitted to OVW at OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov by December 20, 2019. This letter will not obligate the applicant to submit an application. See https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants for a sample Letter of Intent.

Formatting and Technical Requirements Applications must follow the requirements below for all documents, unless otherwise noted.

Points may be deducted for applications that do not adhere to the following requirements:

1. Double spaced (Summary Data Sheet and charts may be single spaced).

2. 8½ x 11 inch paper.

3. One-inch margins.

4. Type no smaller than 12 point, Times New Roman (TNR) or Arial font, except for footnotes, which may be in 10-point font.

5. Page numbers.

6. No more than 20 pages for the Projective Narrative for standard projects and no more than 25 pages for comprehensive projects.

7. Word documents in the following formats: Microsoft Word (.doc), PDF files (.pdf), or Text

Documents (.txt).

8. Headings and sub-headings that correspond to the sections identified in this section of the solicitation.

Application Contents Applications must include the required documents and demonstrate that the program eligibility requirements have been met. For a complete checklist of the application contents, see the Other Information section in this solicitation.

OVW will not contact applicants for missing items on the list below. Applications that do not include all of the following documents will be considered substantially incomplete and will not be considered for funding:

1. Project Narrative.

2. Budget Detail Worksheet and Narrative.

3. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Letters of Commitment submitted in addition to or in lieu of an MOU.

https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants mailto:OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov http://www.grants.gov/

In addition, the following two documents are required; failure to submit them will not result in removal from consideration but may result in a loss of points:

1. Summary Data Sheet.

2. Proposal Abstract.

Summary Data Sheet (5 Points Total) The Summary Data Sheet should be one to four pages and may be single or double spaced.

The Summary Data Sheet does not count toward the 20 page (standard projects) or 25 page (comprehensive projects) limit for the Project Narrative. Provide the following information:

1. Name, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the individual with authority to accept grants on behalf of the applicant.

2. Name, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address for the grant point-of-contact. This person must be an employee of the applicant.

3. Statement as to whether the applicant (the organization whose DUNS number is being used for the application) will serve as a fiscal agent/sponsor and pass all funds through to an entity or entities that will implement the project. Such an applicant will not be involved with implementation of the project beyond issuing subaward(s) to these entities and conducting minimal administrative activities. A fiscal agent/sponsor applicant must list these subrecipients and include a statement acknowledging that, should an award be made, the applicant will be responsible for all applicable statutory, fiscal, and programmatic requirements, including those of 2 C.F.R. Part 200, as well as all project deliverables. In such situations, the fiscal agent/sponsor must be an eligible applicant for the program.

4. Statement as to whether the applicant has expended $750,000 in federal funds in the applicant’s past fiscal year. If so, specify the end date of the applicant’s fiscal year.

5. Summary of all current and pending OVW grants (if applicable). If the applicant has a current grant or cooperative agreement under any OVW grant program or an award that has been closed within the last 12 months from the date this solicitation closes, the information must be provided in a table using the sample format found on the OVW website at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants. Failure to provide the required table will result in a loss of points. The applicant should also provide the same information regarding any current OVW grants or pending applications on which the applicant is a subrecipient.

6. Statement as to whether the applicant is a nonprofit organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code.

7. A list of all other federal grant programs from which the applicant currently receives funding or for which it has applied for funding in FY 2020 to do similar work. Provide this information in a table using the sample format found on the OVW website at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants .

8. Statement as to whether the applicant is a nonprofit organization that holds money in offshore accounts for the purpose of avoiding paying the tax described in section 511(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

9. Statement as to whether the applicant is a nonprofit organization that uses the Internal Revenue Service's three-step safe-harbor procedure to establish a rebuttable presumption that its executives' compensation is reasonable. If the applicant is not a nonprofit organization or is a nonprofit that does not use the safe-harbor procedure, provide a statement to that effect. For additional information about the safe-harbor http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants procedure, see "Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation" in the Additional Required Information section.

10. The percentage of grant activities, should the application be funded, that will address each of the following issues (the total percentages should not exceed 100%):

• Domestic violence.

• Dating violence.

• Sexual assault.

• Stalking.

11. Statement as to whether the applicant is a recipient, or partner/subrecipient, on a current grant or pending application for this grant program. If a current grant, provide the year of the award and the role of the applicant on the award (recipient or project partner).

12. Statement as to whether any proposed project partner/subrecipient is a recipient, or partner/subrecipient, on a current grant or pending application for this grant program. If a current grant, provide the year of the award and the role of the partner(s) on the award (recipient or project partner/subrecipient).

13. Statement as to whether the application addresses the OVW priority areas listed on page 4 of the solicitation:

• Reduce violent crime against women and promote victim safety through investing in law enforcement, increasing prosecution, and promoting effective prevention through activities under purpose area 5(a).

• Increase efforts to combat stalking.

• Address the specific challenges that rural communities face in responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

14. The purpose areas the application addresses and whether the application is standard or comprehensive. If the application is addressing purpose area 5(b), pro se victim assistance programs that provide civil legal assistance, and/or purpose area 6, Civil Legal Assistance, state the percentage of activities and funds of the project that will support civil legal assistance.

15. Name of the nonprofit, nongovernmental, or tribal domestic violence or sexual assault victim service provider partnering on the project (not applicable if the lead applicant is such an entity).

16. Name of the court partner on the project (not applicable if the lead applicant is such an entity).

Proposal Abstract (not scored but used throughout the review process) The Proposal Abstract must provide a short summary (no more than two pages double-spaced) of the proposed project, including names of applicant and partners, project title, purpose of the project (including goal and intended outcome), primary activities for which funds are requested, who will benefit (including geographic area to be served), products and deliverables, and how the applicant will measure progress in completing project goals and objectives. Applicants must not summarize past accomplishments in this section.

Project Narrative (65 Points Total) The Project Narrative may not exceed 20 pages (standard project) or 25 pages (comprehensive project), double-spaced. The Project Narrative must include the following three sections:

Purpose of Application (10 points)

This section must:

1. Describe the challenge or need faced by the community and how the goal/vision for the project will meet that need.

2. Describe the community to be served, including the geographic location and the populations in the service area.

3. To qualify for the OVW rural priority, describe what makes the geographic service area rural (using U.S. Census or other appropriate government data) and how isolated the area is from needed services.

4. Identify the purpose area(s) the applicant is proposing to address.

5. Identify gaps in services and explain how the proposed project will complement and not duplicate existing services.

6. Describe any previous or current efforts (OVW-funded or not) to address the problem(s) the proposed project targets, and the effectiveness of those efforts.

What Will Be Done (45 points)

The application must provide a clear link between the proposed activities and the need identified in the “Purpose of Application” section above. The application must not include any of the activities listed as unallowable costs in the Funding Restrictions section of this solicitation.

1. Describe the approach to addressing the challenge or need identified in the Purpose of the Application section, including, to qualify for the OVW rural priority, how the project will address the challenges associated with the remoteness of the service area.

2. Performance measurement. Describe how the applicant will measure its progress in achieving the project’s goal(s)/vision. Identify targeted outcome(s) and describe any tool(s) the applicant will use to track those outcomes and report them to OVW. Tools may include OVW performance progress reports and logic model templates (both available at www.vawamei.org).

3. Describe how the applicant will move to project sustainability.

4. Describe how the proposed project will reach each population in the service area identified in the Purpose of the Application section.

5. Describe the safety needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and the applicant’s commitment to addressing those needs through the proposed project.

6. Identify project goals, objectives, activities, and products (if applicable), and provide a corresponding 36-month timeline.

7. If applicable, describe specifically how the proposed project will reduce violent crime against women and promote victim safety through activities under purpose area 5(a).

8. If applicable, describe specifically how the proposed project will increase efforts to combat stalking.

For applicants proposing projects under purpose area 1 – supervised visitation and/or safe exchange services:

1. Using concrete examples, describe the extent to which the applicant’s or a project partner’s supervised visitation and/or safe exchange services align–or will be aligned– with the OVW’s Supervised Visitation Guiding Principles.

2. If applicable, describe the applicant’s or a partner’s previous experience providing supervised visitation and exchange services to families affected by domestic violence, dating violence, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.

http://www.vawamei.org/ https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/ovw/legacy/2008/08/06/guiding-principles032608.pdf

3. Provide a detailed statement of how the applicant will ensure that adequate security measures, including adequate facilities, procedures, and personnel capable of preventing violence, and adequate standards are, or will be, in place. Describe the layout and security features of the facility and where in the community the facility is located. Describe how the applicant will develop protocols or policies to ensure that confidential information is not shared with courts, law enforcement agencies, or child welfare agencies unless necessary to ensure the safety of any child or adult using the services of a program funded by OVW.

For applicants proposing projects under purpose area 4 and/or 5 – court programs and services:

1. Describe any specialized docket or court infrastructure that is currently in place or will be established as part of this project.

2. Describe how the project will improve the judicial handling of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and cases involving child sexual abuse; ensure offender accountability; and promote informed judicial decision-making.

3. If the applicant is proposing to use any technology, the applicant must explain how it plans to address any victim safety concerns that could arise from the use of technology, such as confidentiality, safety planning, and informed consent.

For applicants proposing projects under purpose area 6 – civil legal assistance:

1. Describe the extent to which the applicant will provide legal services to victims of domestic violence, and/or to nonoffending parents, in matters that involve allegations of child sexual abuse and relate to family matters, including civil protection orders, custody, and divorce, and in which the other parent is represented by counsel.

2. Describe how the applicant or project partner will provide a supervision and mentoring plan for attorney staff supported by this project.

3. If the applicant is not a domestic violence or sexual assault victim service provider, explain how it will coordinate with a local domestic violence or sexual assault victim service provider.

For applicants proposing projects under purpose area 3 or 8 – training:

1. Describe any training program or curriculum that is currently in place or will be established as part of this project.

2. Identify the agencies that will be trained, the estimated number of trainings and attendees for each training, and the purpose of the trainings.

3. Describe how the project will improve training and education for court-based and court-related personnel on the dynamics of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and/or improve training and education for those within the civil justice system.

4. Provide a detailed statement of how the applicant will reach the intended audience for training and education, including efforts MOU partners will engage in to encourage identified participants to attend the trainings.

Who Will Implement the Project (10 points)

1. Identify the key individuals and organizations, including project partners, involved in the proposed project.

2. Demonstrate that the individuals and organizations identified have the capacity to address the stated need and can successfully implement the proposed project activities;

attach resumes or job descriptions of all key personnel.

3. Demonstrate that the applicant and/or project partner(s) include a domestic violence and/or sexual assault victims service provider and a court.

4. Describe the applicant’s expertise in the areas of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child sexual abuse as appropriate.

5. Describe the project partner(s)’ expertise in the areas of, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child sexual abuse, as appropriate.

Budget Detail Worksheet and Narrative (15 Points) All applications must include a detailed budget and budget narrative. See the sample Budget Detail Worksheet and the Creating a Budget webinar available on the OVW website at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants. Keep in mind that budgetary requirements vary among programs. Applicants must submit reasonable budgets based on the resources needed to implement their projects in their specific geographic location.

Award Period and Amount Budgets should cover a project period of 36 months, or three years, starting October 1, 2020 and ending on September 30, 2023. Budget requests should not exceed $550,000 for standard projects and $650,000 for comprehensive projects.

The budget and budget narrative will be reviewed separately from the proposed project narrative. The budget narrative must describe each line item requested in the budget and explain all costs included in the budget, including how the costs of goods and services are determined and how they will fulfill the objectives of the project.

The budget must:

1. Display a clear link between the specific project activities and the proposed budget items. The budget should not contain items that are not supported by the project narrative.

2. Include funds to attend OVW-sponsored training and technical assistance in the amount of $15,000 for standard projects and $20,000 for comprehensive projects for applicants located in the 48 contiguous states. For applicants located in the territories, Hawaii, or Alaska include $20,000 for standard projects and $25,000 for comprehensive projects.

This amount is…